Page 21 of Must Love Moss and Moonshine (Moonshine Hollow)

I turned onto a quiet side street and headed to Juniper’s shop, which sat on a corner at the edge of town.

Thistle and Thyme was a two-story stone, wood-beam, and stucco building that seemed to lean slightly to the right.

The building sat back from the street, its massive herb garden taking up more space than the building itself.

The second-floor windows looked out at the river and the forest beyond.

A wooden sign hung above the front door, displaying double Ts with sprigs of thistle and thyme plants and a potion bottle.

Taking a deep breath, hoping I wasn’t too late, I opened the garden gate and crossed the stone path to the door.

The moment I stepped inside, the familiar herbal warmth enveloped me.

Shelves crammed with jars of powders, bundles of herbs, and vials of glowing liquids lined the walls.

Drying herbs hung from the rafters, and a cheery fire burned in the hearth.

The entire place smelled of sage. In one corner, an enchanted harp played soft music.

A soft jingling announced my arrival, and Juniper’s mosspup, Pippin, woke to greet me.

Curled in a basket in the corner, he looked like a pile of moss—his species’ best defense.

Their soft, green fur allowed them to blend with any landscape.

He scampered happily across the shop toward me, his tail wagging.

“Pippin,” I said, bending to pet the excited dog. “Well, I am happy to see you too.”

“Tansy?” a voice called from the back. “Tansy, is that you?” Juniper emerged, her hands full of fresh mint.

As always, I was struck by her natural beauty.

Juniper never needed any kind of charm to enhance her curling, honey-brown hair, deep brown eyes, or perfect features.

“By Gaia, I’m so relieved to see you,” she said, rushing across the room and pulling me into her arms. She squeezed me tightly and then let go.

“Bromir’s been worried sick. Where have you been? ”

I laughed lightly. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you, but first, is the flat upstairs still available for winter? Please say yes.”

Her eyes widened. “You’re staying? Finally?” She grinned and set the mint aside. “It’s yours, of course. I even moved some boxes out of the way, just in case. Oh, Tansy, I’ve been waiting for you to say yes for years.”

“I think I’m ready to put down roots,” I admitted. “At least for the winter,” I said, my thoughts drifting to Kellen. “Maybe more.”

Juniper’s smile widened. “That’s the best news I’ve heard all season. Come,” she said, leading me to the table at the back of the shop. She poured me a cup of tea and shifted a basket of scones toward me. “Perfect timing. The tea is freshly brewed, and Rosalyn was just by with these.”

I lifted a scone, catching the sweet scents of lemon, rose petals, and…something magical. Rosalyn, a friend to both Juniper and me, was the pixie baker who owned The Sconery and Teashop. “Lemon, rose, and…” I lifted an eyebrow at Juniper.

“Relaxation,” Juniper said with a laugh. “Leave it to the Sylvan to immediately pick up on the spell.”

“I won’t let that wily pixie get anything past me,” I said, taking a bite. I sighed with delight. “Is there anything she can’t make?”

“Oh, don’t let her fool you. She bakes to perfection, but her cooking is a disaster.”

We both laughed.

Juniper poured herself a cup of tea, scooped up Pippin, and settled across from me. She waited patiently, not pressing for details, patting her pup’s long, floppy ears and sipping her tea.

Finally exhaling, I asked, “Juniper, how much do you know about the dryad, Kellen?”

She tilted her head, studying me. “Kellen? The Forest Guardian? He brings me moonshine plants every year. He’s not one for conversation. Aloof, quiet, but a good man. He’s always very respectful and kind but brief in his visits. I always got the feeling he found Moonshine Hollow overwhelming. Why?”

I traced the rim of my teacup with a finger. “I… Well, let me start at the beginning,” I said, then explained how I ended up in Silver Vale with Kellen. “He looked after me after my accident.”

Juniper arched an eyebrow. “That’s unexpected.”

I smiled faintly. “He’s very sweet. I know he keeps people at a distance, but there’s more to him than he lets on. Much more.”

Juniper studied my expression, then reached across the table and set her hand on mine. “I’m expecting him tomorrow evening. He will bring the annual supply of moonshine plant so I can brew healing potions.”

My heart leaped at her words. “For certain?”

“Yes. It is arranged. He’ll be here at sunset,” she said, then smiled happily. “And now, you are staying here for the winter. Pippin,” she told the dog, scratching his ear, “Things are about to get very interesting around here. But we like the dryad, don’t we?”

Pippin wiggled excitedly.

Juniper smiled softly at me. “I never thought you’d be drawn to the quiet type, but he’s easy on the eyes.”

“Very. Am I mad?”

“Love is madness,” Juniper replied. “Love has no rhyme or reason. It blossoms to life in the most unexpected places. When it finds you, all you can do is hold on for the ride.”

“And not get thrown off, bashing your head on a rock.”

“That’s my specialty, at least when it comes to love,” Juniper said with a laugh, but the edge of it was pinched with sorry.

“Oh, Juni,” I said, squeezing her hand sympathetically. Last season, Juniper had gone through a horrible breakup. It seemed that her heart still had not recovered.

“Tomorrow is a new day,” she said with a sigh. “Who knows, maybe some handsome elf will stroll into town and sweep me off my feet.”

“Let’s hope,” I said, polishing off my tea. I rose. “I hate to leave you, but I need to go see what kind of mess Bromir and I have at the market. Apparently, due to my unexpected detour, we have secured an excellent spot near the animal pens.”

“Oh, no.”

“Oh, yes. Let me go see if there is anything to be done.”

“I wish you well, my friend. I’ll get everything ready for you upstairs. I’m so excited,” she said, embracing me.

“Me too,” I said, returning the gesture before pulling back. “Well, I’m off. Wish me luck.”

Giving Pippin one last pat, I headed back outside.

The sun sank low on the horizon, painting the town in hues of amber and rose.

My heart felt lighter, filled with hope.

I had a place to stay, a future to plan, and the promise of seeing Kellen again.

I also needed to let Bromir know I had secured the flat.

He wouldn’t like the news, but for the first time in a long while, I was sure of what I wanted.

Moonshine Hollow wasn’t just a stop on my journey—it was the place I could finally call home.

I hoped beyond everything else that Kellen would be part of that future.